Advantages of late menopause

Staying healthy, fit and trim keeps just about any woman looking and feeling younger, but time rolls steadily along when it comes to those ovaries. Yet if Father Time is late when it comes to the arrival of your date with menopause, it can be a plus.

According to one gynecologist, late menopause is a good thing. Even with its corresponding one percent higher risk of breast cancer and potential for unwanted pregnancy, maintaining higher levels of estrogen in the body comes with a strong set of advantages -- delaying osteoporosis, heart disease, strokes and wrinkles. Beyond the physical realm, a new study also indicates later menopause may mean less cognitive decline later in life.

This news makes me want to hang onto my periods forever -- a markedly different feeling from my previous attitudes toward menstruation. I felt a little scared when I had my first period at nearly 13, detested the cramps in my 20s, and then watched my cycles carefully when entering motherhood in my 30s. Now at 40, while regular periods are annoying, I don't want them to end. While the average age of menopause is 51, genes are the best predictor. Ask mom when she reached The Change -- chances are you'll follow in her menopausal footsteps.